Marcellus Wiley upset by decisions of NFL players

Dec. 8, 2012
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Dallas Cowboys' Josh Brent (92) signals a play to the defense in the first half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) ORG XMIT: OTKTG171 / Tony Gutierrez, AP

by Jon Saraceno, USA TODAY Sports

by Jon Saraceno, USA TODAY Sports

LAS VEGAS - A double-whammy of tragedy in the NFL leaves Marcellus Wiley shaking his head at the waste wrought by poor decision-making.

"Another dead member of the fraternity,'' the ESPN analyst told USA TODAY Sports after the Dallas Cowboys' Jerry Brown was killed in an early-morning single-car traffic accident.

Police arrested Cowboys teammate Josh Brent for intoxication manslaughter. Brown was a passenger in the vehicle Brent was driving in the early-morning crash.

"We all reflect and feel deep remorse, but for this to resonate we still have a long way to go regarding off-the-field conduct,'' Wiley said. "For that to change the compass of our ethics and morality, guys need to abide by a deeper discipline. It's sad to see.''

Wiley, who played 10 NFL seasons, doubles as talk-show radio host in Los Angeles. He is in town for Saturday's Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez fight.

"It's so difficult to achieve an opportunity to be an NFL player - all the hurdles and adversity you overcome just to get to that point,'' he said. "Regardless of how great a career you have, that is our (special) moment - just to make it to the NFL. Where players should be celebrating a head-start in life, people are actually doing the opposite.''

Brown's death comes just one week after Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher fatally shot his girlfriend and then killed himself in front of coach Romeo Crennel at Arrowhead Stadium.